OOF. The disappointment in this one hurts. I heard about this book a couple of months ago and was so excited I immediately preordered it. So when I saw it on NetGalley I was super psyched to be able to read it early. It wasn't a bad book, I liked it, but it had some definite flaws for me.
The marketing for this book is really not doing it any favors. I know publishers love comparing books to other books, but comparing this to Six of Crows is a mistake. The tone and writing style are completely different. Apart from both involving groups of teens they have very little in common. And the emphasis on the "heist" aspect of this book is also a mistake. The plot didn't feel very well done when it came to the "heist" elements of the story, and there isn't even really a heist. Getting readers excited for a book by marketing it as something it's not is a great way to get disappointed readers.
I actually loved the first part of the book, up until around the halfway point I was totally on board. But then the middle just dragged on and the ending felt way too rushed. The pacing didn't work for me at all. I also felt like the plot needed to be much tighter. And the book occasionally directly addresses the reader, and while some of the time this worked for me, some of the time it felt awkward and broke up the story and at other times felt like a lazy way to get around writing more intricate plot elements.
I did love the characters and the friendship portions of the book. Some of the family dynamics were also really well done. Absolutely thrilled to see a book with so many ace characters. That element was definitely the one that worked best for me. I think it's worth reading just for the characters and their relationships, as some of the book is really fun. I just wish the plot had been stronger and the pacing better.
The tone is pretty light, and I'd say this is geared towards the younger end of a YA audience, which is totally fine, but again makes it a very different book than something like Six of Crows. I still think I'd recommend this one, there were things I liked about it and I'm extremely eager for there to be more books with ace characters, especially in YA. But I'd warn readers to change their expectations from those the marketing promises, and instead look to this as a lighthearted middle grade/YA book that's most successful when it comes to characters and relationships but doesn't quite deliver when it comes to plot.

Its fine. I was excited but i feel like it played on a lot fandom and I didn’t know it was just a bunch of fandom books.

The text of writing with characters was choppy and threw me off. I wont be buying this book. I am grateful I got to read it on NetGalley.

Thank you net galley for sending me an arc of aces wild:a heist in exchange for a honest review!


Its truly difficult to put in words how disappointed I am. There was SO much potential, and the result was...... not great.

As an ace person I was excited to receive this and see myself be represented, but sadly this book failed to meet my expectations.



Although I loved the cast of characters, and the representation was absolutely wonderful I really struggled to follow the plot, which was kind of all over the place.


This book was advertised as a heist and I truly struggle to judge whether that description is accurate or not considering that I'm still extremely confused over the events that took place. There were so many interactions and so much going from place to place and doing stuff that were later on never mentioned again?



The plot twist at the end wasn't much of a plot twist and the romance between the mc and Remy felt really undeveloped.
I get that it was trying to be relatable and realistic and there were some parts of it that I liked, however I really struggled caring about Remy since we never saw them from a point of view that differed from Jason's idolization.


Overall as I mentioned in the beginning, my experience reading this can be summarized in one word: disappointment.

»Aces Wild« combines two of my favorite things to read about: asexual characters (and there were a lot of ace characters in this book!) and a heist. As soon as I knew what this book was about I just knew I was going to love it - and I did. Thankfully. I think I may have cried if I didn’t like it because it just sounded like my perfect book.

To be honest, I think the subtitle »A Heist« is a bit misleading, it evokes the connotation that this actually is a Six of Crows-like story, especially because it gets described as Six of Crows goes Las Vegas in the synopsis. I don’t know why we need to compare everything to Six of Crows even though it is nothing like it. Apart from a lovely group of characters who banter a lot it has nothing in common with Six of Crows - which isn’t a bad thing at all! I love »Aces Wild« exactly for what it is.

Do you sometimes read books and think »this book is so fucking cool?«
Yeah, that was me while reading »Aces Wild«. I don’t know what it is about heist like stories and gambling but it’s just so interesting to read about? And bonus points for most of the important characters being ace. My asexual heart was just… imagine the heart eyes and crying emojis and then repeat.

Apart from that the book was written fantastic, I love how Jack in the beginning break the fourth wall and speaks to the reader, that was really cool and an amazing way to begin the book, I was instantly hooked and was invested in Jack and his story. I think that’s why I liked the book so much, because Jack was just such a likable character. The ending wasn’t super surprising but it was well done in my opinion and I just loved everything in between, especially the friendship between Jack and all of his online friends - I think it was super cool to read about online friendships in books because especially as reviewers we can probably relate because most of us are on social media.

»Aces Wild« was just objectively a perfect book for me and I will definitely get a physical copy for my shelf when the book is released and until then I won’t shut up about it and will recommend it to everyone.

This had the making of something really enjoyable – comped frequently as SIX OF CROWS in Vegas – but I just found the story incredibly dull for something that should be as quick and high-stakes as a heist thriller. I was so, so BORED. So bored in fact, that after halfway I skimmed the rest in one sitting to get it over with.

ACES WILD isn't a bad book, per se. It has good writing, and a great premise, but it is the mediocrity in which everything is executed that is a huge letdown. Everything is simply okay, and never pushes the boat out beyond the harbour.

Even as the heir to a massive casino empire and the owner of an illegal blackjack club at his illustrious school, Jack Shannon is a bland main character. He wasn't particularly... anything? Sure, he can card count and play cards and do sleight of hand, but being able to commit petty theft is not a personality trait. Coming out of the book I still can't really tell you who he is as a person. The rest of the friends are also uninteresting. By the halfway point they'd only just started to plan the heist, and unfortunately neither they nor their banter were compelling enough to keep me engaged.

The only thing I can say about these characters is I thought the asexual rep was good! It's nice to show the many different types of asexuality - that you can be romantic and asexual, gay and asexual, non-binary and asexual, or experience no attraction whether romantic or sexual at all. Even though this book didn't fulfil my personal expectations, it's a much needed story in terms of having the definitions on the page.

In conclusion, ACES WILD was a disappointment in an inoffensive, not-trying-hard enough way. This might suit other people's tastes, but it wasn't for me.

WILL I READ MORE BY THE AUTHOR? No.

Jack's mother owns a casino in Vegas and gets busted for.... money laundering? I can't remember, we just know she wasn't entirely on the right side of the law regardless of how she ended up being taken away in cuffs. Jack, who runs an underground blackjack club at his posh school is flown to Vegas to be with his family (it's also very conveniently Summer holidays). He quickly decides his mum was framed (even though we KNOW she was dodgy anyway) by his 'uncle', so he goes snooping and fails. After his sister hands him a secret credit card he flies in his online ace friends to help him uncover the truth. For a (former) rich kid, Jack doesn’t come across as too entitled. He definitely needs some life lessons but it wasn’t on an annoying level.

Jack's online ace friends are all aspec. I myself am ace, so I loved that someone wrote a whole book about a GROUP of aspec people. They're all young, bright eyed and willing to sneak into secret casino clubs. I had to keep reminding myself that not everyone experiences their sexuality the same as everyone else. A few comments pulled my from the narrative because I personally felt differently about what they were talking about, so it's a good book if you are curious about asexuality without the whole book being about their sexuality.

I found the book really enjoyable. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a low stakes casino heist or a book with good aspec rep. Definitely adding this to my aspec book list.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

FYI, there is NO acephobia in this book. It was refreshing to read about teens being who they are without anyone questioning their label/sexuality

“My name is Jack Shannon, and this is not a love story. It’s a confession.”

Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

From the first sentence of this story, I was hooked. With a completely original voice, bright and bold storytelling, and a main character that keeps you on your toes, Aces Wild by Amanda Dewitt is an absolute must-read for fans of heists, high-stakes illegal gambling, and/or found family adventures.

Perhaps I’m biased, because heist stories are a personal weakness for me, but I can honestly say that I didn’t expect a single plot twist in this entire book. Cue me gasping dramatically to myself for about 320 pages straight. Aces Wild truly lived up to its name: wild as hell. Dewitt managed to balance just enough information to placate the reader for the moment, just to unleash the most bonkers thing you’ve ever heard when you’re least expecting it. True talent.

Every character was complex and intriguing, especially Jack, our main character. Despite not relating to a single of aspect of his life, I found myself desperate to know everything about him, what he would do next, and if he and his friends would come out on top. Pair him with a ragtag team of misfits that eventually becomes a found family of sorts, one with adorably sweet moments, and absolutely perfect comedic timing, and you’ve got yourself an incredible book.

While reading, I could practically see the visuals coming off the page. The glittering neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip, a casino coin flipping in the air in slow motion, the sound of a deck of cards being shuffled in an exclusive, smoky, back-room gambling den. I was enamoured by every single word.

If you’re looking for your next five-star read, or even just a fun as hell casino heist—except where the real heist were the friends we made along the way—, I would absolutely implore you to pick up a copy of Aces Wild!

I really liked 'Aces Wild', but I will say that the blurb does not accurately describe the book.

I enjoyed the friend/found family aspect of this book, but I was a little disappointed that it wasn't as heist-oriented as the blurb suggested. The friendship dynamics were incredible, although I would have liked to see a little more from a few of the characters. Having an all-ace main cast does wonders for ace representation in media, and I hope that other books, films and tv shows are inspired by this book to include more ace characters!

I did enjoy the 'heist' sections of the book, but they were few and far between, and everything seemed overly circumstantial and not thoroughly planned out in a realistic way.

As I stated earlier, the characters were the saving grace of this book.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in seeing more accurate ace rep, anyone who enjoys the found family trope, and those who don't mind books that are more character than plot based.

I feel like this book started off really strong but I lost a little bit of interest as it went further in. I love the subject matter, and the focus on ACE characters. There needs to be more books out there like this with diverse representation. At its core, the focus on how strong an important the platonic relationships we hold is a message that resonates with everyone.

I had extremely high hopes for this book, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Aces Wild was everything I hoped for and so much more! It's the most insanely perfect balance between escapism and relatable affirmation; it's fun, suspenseful and atmospheric while also balancing a relatable, sweet, funny cast of characters. I get the warm fuzzies just thinking about this group of chaotic asexual Gen Z-ers going about their shenanigans amongst casinos and crime and luxury.

[3.5]
I'm a simple reader, I see "heist" and "asexual", I click and oops I accidentally requested an ARC. Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and fun read, although I would have expected more heist,

The characters were cute, although some fell a bit flat. Yes they were cool, but I would have liked to see more development flow into their characters. Georgia especially got little time to shine, Jack himself says he doesn't know her that well and it seems to stay that way over the course of the book. I liked Gabe and Remy, although Remy too could have used some more character development. Lucky was the only exception, I felt like she was properly fleshed out and funny.

The ace- and arospec representation was amazing. I rarely see openly asexual or aromantic characters on page (this is not a spoiler but the main cast (five teenagers) is all-asexual with varying romantic attractions although they are kept ambiguous except for Gabe who is aromantic (and I live for that aro-ace representation). The author stated on Goodreads that she "consider[s] Jack to be demiromantic" but on-page, only asexuality and aromanticism is mentioned to state the extent of on-page representation. Brilliantly done.

The plot felt a bit shaky sometimes, like a typical YA book where teenagers try to pull off a blown-blown heist and to be honest there wasn't that much heist and more friendship/family stuff which I personally enjoyed more because I'm here for the characters and their relationships, not stuff happened ie. action. However someone who likes action might not enjoy this as much as there is not as much action in here as you would expect from a heist novel. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed it.

Before I round this review up I want to say something I read from a deaf reviewer: they were made uncomfortable by hearing aids being used as a plot device and altered to fit the purposes of the heist. While I am not deaf or hard-of-hearing myself, I wanted to put this into my review to bring attention to the problem of the needs of people with disabilities being used as plot devices and not taken seriously.

Overall, however, I enjoyed this book. It wasn't amazing (although the a-spec representation was *chef's kiss*) but I think this book would be great for fans of character-driven books with a bit of extra plot, heists (although prepare for less heists and more feelings and vibes) and anyone who just wants to read about a-spec people being chaotic.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

3 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved the concept of this book when I first read the blurb: a heist, asexual teens, found family?? I thought, what more can one ask for?? The execution was mildly disappointing though.

One aspect I did enjoy was the world-building and the setting in Vegas with the casinos and illegal gambling. That part was super cool and you could tell the author really did her homework on that! Kudos!

Nevertheless, certainly, the best thing about this book was the fact that we got some asexual, aromantic, and nonbinary representation!!! It felt so incredible to see this reflected in a book as we do not get that many characters like that. This is obviously the main appeal of this book and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!! I loved the representation and feel it was well written.

The main problem to me was that there was no heist? Or at least it felt like there was no heist. The "heist" scenes were boring, though I will admit realistic as there is only so much a group of teens in the real world (not a fantasy one) can actually achieve.

In regards to the characters, they were all two-dimensional to me. All of them were likable enough but still fell flat. This would have not bothered me that much if it weren't for the boring heist that lacked action.

Overall, the story is entertaining enough and I had good laughs with it. There is a twist at the end I did not see coming so yay for that! I definitely recommend this book despite it's issues.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me this arc!

This book was marketed as “Six of Crows goes to Las Vegas” and as a massive SoC fan how could I resist?! I couldn’t wait for a fast paced heist novel that would make my heart race; and not to mention the cast of ace characters! Sadly though, this book didn’t give me what I wanted.

I’d like to blame it on the fact that I was in the middle of final exams but I don’t think that’s the reason. The book literally says “a heist” in the title and yet I found the heist extremely boring. They went to the same places and did relatively the same thing every time. By the time they got what they had been looking for (even with all the plot twists added in) I wasn’t even remotely excited.

Now while the heist might have fell flat I did enjoy the group of ace characters who absolutely SERVED the found family trope. I loved it when they interacted and honestly they are the saving grace of this book. The slow romantic relationship between Jack and another character was also very enjoyable.

Overall I honestly don’t think I’d recommend this book to others. While the characters might have been fun it doesn’t make up for the bland heist that comprises the majority of the book.

This book was aces! (Pun intended)

Jack Shannon’s family faces losing their hotel, The Golden Age, and the rest of the empire they’ve built on the Vegas strip if he can’t find a way to prove his mother’s innocence.
Jack invites his online friends, a group of badass asexual teenagers, to Vegas to help him save it all. With Jack’s mom in jail, an unreliable father, and his oldest sister contemplating selling her share of The Golden Age, Jack and his friends have to find a way to prove that Peter Carlevaro, the reigning “King of the Strip” is the one who really belongs behind bars.
Jack and his friends’ heists ultimately fail over and over again, but they compile a list of tips and clues with every attempt to infiltrate the Avalon Club and find out Carlevaro’s dirty secrets.
I really enjoyed Aces Wild. The characters are all well written and have surprising, interesting personalities that all worked well together. The story itself is fairly predictable, but it was a fun adventure to follow along with regardless of its predictability. 
Although it’s in the title, I wouldn’t really call the plot of this book a heist. (Especially not like Six of Crows like the synopsis eludes to.) The main “heist” doesn’t happen until nearly the end of the book, and it still isn’t carried out correctly. It doesn’t last long, and the tension isn’t as high as it should be for the final chance at taking down Carlevaro. Obviously the gambling is illegal for the underage main characters, but the stakes didn’t feel high enough for any of the events to feel like a real heist. 
Technicalities of the word “heist” aside, Aces Wild was an adventure. It was a fun, funny read, and had great asexual rep.

Aces Wild is about Jack, a rich kid from Las Vegas who is attending a boarding school (and true to his legacy, set up an illegal gambling club), who finds out his mom is going to prison for fraud. He suspects her rival is behind this and will stop at nothing to prove this. He needs help however, and flies in his friends from his ace support group to help. Or well, just for support, but they quickly become involved in the scheme. However, when this book mentions a heist and claims to be like Six of Crows, nope, that’s not what you get. You get an amazing found family idea who try to pull of a heist without a plan whatsoever, as Jack is your basic privileged teenage boy and doesn’t think anything through. At all.

I absolutely loved the original Las Vegas setting! Jack basically lives in a hotel, his family is a bit disjointed, a careless dad, an overprotective older sister and a middle sister that gets overlooked. Toss in an ace support group full of diverse characters, and you should get an amazing mix. Should, because I really think there could’ve been way more about these characters. I don’t know much about them, as the plot overshadows their personalities a bit. I feel like the author tried to do too much, too many characters and a heavy fast moving plot. I wish there would have been more space for introspection and getting to know everyone better. I feel even the ace part was a bit overshadowed, though the rep was excellent! But, all that aside, the writing style is amazing, hilarious banter everywhere, the setting is amazing, and I loved the characters to bits! So for me, these downsides are not deal breakers at all, I just think this book could be even more amazing. I was thoroughly entertained and the ace support made me feel seen. And there is so much humor throughout the book, especially when Jack breaks the fourth wall all the time. I think this book would very much benefit of being a series, in which each character of the ace group gets their own novel, so we can have more depth and even more banter!

I received a free copy through Netgalley, this hasn’t influenced my opinions.

This is a wonderfully fun book! It is perfect for fans of heist movies like Ocean 11. I really enjoyed the asexual representation as well and think readers will have an excellent time with this story.

4.5 stars without a question.

Thank you so much for the possibility to read this story that i didnt knew i was looking for.

The premisse sounded amazong from the start. Lord knows that Six of Crows kinda hooked us all in heist type plots, and this is exactly what it provides, but so much more. The Las Vegas scene intertwined with the underground casinos and the family dramas... to die for.

We have a whole cast of ace characters, and the possibility of this kind of rep is sooo important, and it is so nice to see new writters opening audiences eyes to the multitude of people out there in the world. Their little found family was what i was also here for, and how everybody stood for each other, priceless.

Im actually hoping for it to be a second book with all these babys, cause i just know that there are so many more adventures they can get themselves into and i would ate them all.

I enjoyed this fun little adventure! Heist might be a little strong of a word for their operation, and the Six of Crows comparison was too much to live up to, but Aces Wild stands up on its own. I love the idea and conflict within an all-asexual cast, and the characters were sweet and believable. Jack is literally nothing like Kaz Brekker, stop making that comparison. There were a lot of cheesy moments and coincidences, but I had a lot of fun.

The synopsis is what got me hooked I mean a heist with asexual internet friends? That’s interesting! You can’t trust people you meant online that easily and with the planning of the heist? But after reading the book, I was mixed with emotions. I didn't know if I should’ve felt disappointed with the characters or excited for the book to release because of the found family trope.

Aces Wild: A Heist is about Jack Shannon who is the son of a Las Vegas casino mogul, his mom. One day, Jack’s mom gets arrested by the police for their family ties to an organized crime. Jack knows that his mom’s rival, Peter Carlevaro, but he needs proof. He recruits his asexual support group to help him with his plan.

Jack struggles a lot with how he feels because he felt like he couldn’t express what he felt growing up. He makes bad decisions and embraces the people that are most important in his life. Jack’s friends: Gabe, Lucky, Remy, and Georgia. I loved them so much so it's basically a crime that there wasn’t much said about them. Jack with his friends was what I loved most about this book. Their texts with each other, the dynamics, the humor- everything I loved so much. The part that I didn’t like was the heist part, it was a bit underwhelming and wasn’t really a heist.

I would recommend it to you if you are longing for a found family who would do anything for each other. Thank you Netgalley and Peachtree for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Tw: emotional abuse, infidelity, abandonment, gambling

I absolutely loved this one!! Someone described it as an ace SIx of crows but honestly it's so much more than that! The story does revolve around a heist but it's a completely different plan and the characters are definitely not comparable to the crows, and that's a good thing! They all had their particularities and I really loved getting to know each of them! I don't think the love story was necessary, since this was mostly a book about family and friendship, but still it was pretty cute. Lucky was definitely my favorite character and the definition of "looks like a cinnamon roll, could actually kill you" lmao! I love the atmosphere of the luxury hotel and the writing was easy to follow and very engaging! I will be definitely checking out the author's future books!

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for great ace representation and a book about family and friendship!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.